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Priya Kumar teams up with Tarun Katial, Puneet Johar to launch Genius Inside
NEW DELHI: Priya Kuma has joined hands with industry titans Tarun Katial and Puneet Johar to corporatise and scale-up her Priya Kumar’s Training System (PKTS) to reach a worldwide audience through an AI-powered platform — Genius Inside.
The trio aim to take forward PKTS’s 25-year-old legacy and enhance it for the digital space through Genius Inside, which they say would be 10X more engaged and effective and 70 per cent cheaper compared to what is currently available. It will leverage advancements in AI intervention and machine learning for the recommendation engine, combined with phy-gital mentoring to help audiences benefit from continued learning and personalised transformation, on-demand.
“Genius Inside presents the most personalised and customisable version of our services,” said Genius Inside founder Priya Kumar. “These are created by our deep understanding of success and its drivers, an evidence-based approach and workability which adds value to bright young minds. Lending their passion and expertise to this project, my partners — Tarun Katial, Puneet Johar, and I aim to reach a global audience and play an instrumental role in their development by not only upskilling them but also by bringing about a real-time transformation in their lives."
According to co-founder Tarun Katial, Genius Inside is a giant leap from earlier generation legacy learning platforms. "We need to understand that AI and machine learning are the new frontiers for human interaction with technology. Now, more than ever, kids need to learn how AI and ML works, and how these tools can help the productivity of the workforce," he added.
The self-help industry is growing at a rapid pace, currently at $30 billion and projected to grow to $60 billion in the next five years. About $4 billion is spent on MICE and training programs annually but 78 per cent of people experience minimal training impact. Instead of spending disproportionately to build learning capabilities, Genius Inside aims to help audiences live through their transformation to reinvent themselves, without breaking the bank.
"Genius Inside as a platform offers immense opportunities in digital including personalised learning, interactive sessions with coaches, progress charts and assessments. There is no better way to give back than reaching out and impacting young leaders with this proven model of self-development aided by technology," said co-founder Puneet Johar.
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Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
